Change Name of this sub forum?

[Thunder Bow]

Originally Posted by knightofalbion

Maybe the wisest thing to do is to have a poll of options on what should happen and then all those with an interest in the matter can make their viewpoint known and then 'we' can go with the result, whichever way it pans out.

Good suggestion that I approve of. However I do not consider internet forums to be a democracy. This form, as it is with most internet forms are made up of Some people who want to Control others. Thus the "Moderators" have the final say so, as it is in any dictatorship. Also one must battle other members who are in to controlling forums through bullying, accusations, and name calling.

[Star Wolf Medicine Woman]

When you consider the forced loss of identity that First Nations people have suffereed for eons.. Loss of way of life, loss of lands, traditions, forbidden to speak their own languages, even to live free and to follow there own path without hinderance, when you consider that everything was taken from them... then you can see why this is a sensitive issue.. A poll would seem reasonable...
I did think it was changed rather rapidly without regular poster imput really..

I wouldn't want anyone to feel that they had lost a voice, an outlet and a link to others following the same path...

When I click the home button I always go to this section first.. it seems strange that it is not there now and the current description doesn't seem right... Identitiy is very important to this group, who have historically lost so much over many many millenia. Its such a little thing for admin to do but it means so much to very many of us.

Btw I moderate, myself on a few forums and we do try to listen and to be fair..

[knightofalbion]

I've never been involved in the day-to-day running of a forum, though I would imagine it is a thankless task, even a near impossible task (!), trying to keep everyone happy.

I'm not a Native American, as you will know, but I do support there being a 'Native American' sub-forum. It is a very rich spiritual and cultural heritage and we've always had a healthy number of participating Native Americans, so it is justified in my humble opinion.

Perhaps a separate, follow-on 'Other Indigenous Faiths' sub-forum is the answer to keep everyone happy. Members could request individual sections i.e. Aboriginal/Maori etc. as per their faith.

OK already.. I have kinda figured I am damned if I do and damned if I don't... Same Suit , just recently dry cleaned. And by no means , any place I have not been before...

Originally Posted by Thunder Bow

This form, as it is with most internet forms are made up of Some people who want to Control others.

A doubtlessly cultivated point of view from frequenting other fine and not so fine establishments.

I and my associates who give of their own time have no desire to "control" others. Your remarks say far more about you than perhaps you may have intended..unless of course you actually believe what you are saying to be true... There are members here of quiet a long time that I feel sure hold a different view... control..you call it .....I am quiet frankly incredulous at the full extent and range of your apparent over the shoulder looking... Further I am somewhat askance at what terrible experience with other forums has led you to this quiet singular view that "most internet forms are made up of Some people who want to Control others" Regardless, This is not one of them .

[knightofalbion]

You have no need to defend yourself, dear Neville. You have always been fair and honourable in all your dealings here.
All the long standing members will know that to be true.

I strongly suspect that, in the heat of the moment, Thunder Bow's words may have 'come out wrong'.

[Tobi]

It's not an easy job helping the management of this forum. But believe me it's definitely not a dictatorship. There are some kind and caring Souls here who give up their free time to keep things running as well as we all can get, so it remains a decent place to discuss Spiritual matters.
We are not some 'high-and-mighty lawgivers' over on admin and mods. We just try our best...

There are some valid points raised here and they deserve consideration. And they will be considered and the best thing done as far as we can see fit. Nobody's perfect -but we keep trying.

This Forum, as you will have noted is now called "North American Indigenous Spirituality"

Attached to this forum is a new sub forum called "Faiths of Indigenous Peoples"

[Gem]

Originally Posted by Star Wolf Medicine Woman

When you consider the forced loss of identity that First Nations people have suffereed for eons.. Loss of way of life, loss of lands, traditions, forbidden to speak their own languages, even to live free and to follow there own path without hinderance, when you consider that everything was taken from them... then you can see why this is a sensitive issue.. A poll would seem reasonable...
I did think it was changed rather rapidly without regular poster imput really..

I wouldn't want anyone to feel that they had lost a voice, an outlet and a link to others following the same path...

When I click the home button I always go to this section first.. it seems strange that it is not there now and the current description doesn't seem right... Identitiy is very important to this group, who have historically lost so much over many many millenia. Its such a little thing for admin to do but it means so much to very many of us.

Btw I moderate, myself on a few forums and we do try to listen and to be fair..

I also considered the sense of loss and oppression due to colonisation of traditional lands - all over the world - and I'm basically familiar with Australian colonial history. It's only in the last decade or so that Aboriginals have had a meaningful voice, and been able to write their own history, but the aboriginal history hasn't quite made it through the education system yet, which still primarily teaches the collonial version.

There were two primary moments in our political history as declarations by two different primeministers: Paul Keating's Redfern speech was the best 1993 ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x1S4F1euzTw ) and 15 years later, Kevin Rudd's apology 2008 ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xiLnsFyAVqE ).

Then, when we, the white and privileged still don't consider that the peoples' who are indigenous, first world, or new world (I don't know what that is) have a fundamental right to decide these sorts of things through proper consultation with the admin.

[Gem]

Originally Posted by Tobi

It's not an easy job helping the management of this forum. But believe me it's definitely not a dictatorship. There are some kind and caring Souls here who give up their free time to keep things running as well as we all can get, so it remains a decent place to discuss Spiritual matters.
We are not some 'high-and-mighty lawgivers' over on admin and mods. We just try our best...

There are some valid points raised here and they deserve consideration. And they will be considered and the best thing done as far as we can see fit. Nobody's perfect -but we keep trying.

There's two basic problems that are faced by the dominant, and therefore, privileged, culture. The first is that they aren't intentionally inconsiderate and insensitive, they are unconscious of it and do it unwittingly. It's made invisible to them because they are the 'norm' and it's 'others' who are different. The second problem is, they are willingly unwitting, which means they don't want to admit to themselves that they play a part in the oppression, nor do they have any incentive face it. There's a catch22 in that which makes it a difficult dilemma.